The Fabulous Floating Inflatable Villa: A Temporary Artwork by Architect Luis Pons In Response to South Florida’s Real Estate Conundrum

On view November 30 – December 4, 2005 During Art Basel Miami Beach

Miami Beach, FL – “The Fabulous Floating Inflatable Villa”, designed by Miami-based, Venezuelan-born architect Luis Pons will be on view at Dacra Development’s Aqua, Allison Island during Art Basel Miami Beach. The inflatable pavilion, fabricated by Alejandro Handal, will be moored at 250 West 63rd Street, from November 30 – December 4, 2005. This project, sponsored by Dacra, The Wolfsonian-Florida International University, and Inflatable Concepts, Inc. is part of a series of inflatable installations and objects designed by Pons, in response to/inspired by the excesses of Miami real estate culture.

It is Pons’ wish that the intrinsic values of inflatable objects could be transferred to Miami architecture, conferring value to image rather than content. “If only the images were more eloquent, communicative, or even more fun, things might be different,” said Pons.

The plastic 30x30x20 foot Fabulous Floating Inflatable Villa is Pons’ reaction to Miami’s real estate boom and to the inflated architecture embedded in a property value system equally inflated by hoards of realtors. While Miami architecture has always been about fantasy, Pons is unhappy about the new crop of pseudo-Palladian McMansions, which are characterized by their predictable use of columns, capitals, pilasters, arches, keystones, fountains, and statues. Uninspired Miami architecture, Pons says, “fails to engage, and instead confronts an aggressively unattractive symbol of our architecturally inflated and environmentally impoverished age.” Surprisingly enough, Andrea Palladio, whose work was the model for the 21st Century Miami mansion, was a brilliant practitioner of environmentally integrated residential design—something that these “McMansions” fail to achieve.

Pons’ villa, a “timeless classic design” which boasts 360-degree bay views, is designed in tones of white, cream and beige, and is illuminated with fully installed white lighting throughout its columns and dome, allowing it to be visible at night. The villa will be kept inflated by a generator, and will be transported by a flatbed barge to the various locations at which it is scheduled to make an appearance.

“The Fabulous Floating Inflatable Villa” was produced by Inflatable Concepts, Inc. A limited-edition portfolio of 12 photographs signed by Miami photographers Moris Moreno and Vincenta Casan will be exhibited and sold during the week of Art Basel.

About Luis Pons Venezuelan-born Architect Luis Pons is the founder of Aponwao Design, Inc., a multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm based in Miami. Pronounced Ah pon WOW, the company’s name derives from an Amazonian waterfall. Pons is the Latin American representative for David M. Schwarz Architectural Services, based in Washington, D.C. He has been published in international architectural, art and design publications and is the host of a Spanish-language television design program, airing weekly throughout the United States and Latin America. ###

Luis Pons will be available for interviews and can be contacted at: 305-576-1787 (studio) or at 786-236-6983 (mobile).